The very popular video game "Minecraft" has been utilized by a developer in order to help in teaching history, quantum computing and even microbiology. The project is called "MinecraftEdu" and it uses a version of "Minecraft" that is specifically developed and designed for educators.

Mojang, the company that created "Minecraft," was acquired by Microsoft in 2014 for a staggering $2.5 billion. On the other hand, "MinecraftEdu" was created by a separate company, TeacherGaming.

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In a recent acquisition move, Microsoft acquired "MinecraftEdu" from TeacherGaming. This means that the entertainment and educational versions of "Minecraft" are now under one company.

According to Wired, Microsoft is not acquiring TeacherGaming, just "MinecraftEdu." This means that TeacherGaming can still continue developing "KerbalEdu" which is an education version of the video game "Kerbal Space Program." The company also promises that it will continue to release new products in the future.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that "Minecraft" is one of the "perfect tool" to teach students on the subjects of science, technology, engineering and match.

Microsoft announced on Jan. 19 that it has acquired TeacherGaming for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition entails the release of the educational version of "Minecraft" called "Minecraft: Education Edition."

The educational version of "Minecraft" has areas that can help students in basic problem solving. One example is the "Great Pyramids of Giza" mod which introduces students to the basics of engineering in ancient times.

Regarding its cost, Microsoft posted a statement on the official "Minecraft" website, "We understand the financial demands on today's educators and are committed to make Minecraft: Education Edition as affordable and accessible as possible. Currently, our plans aim to keep the price at $5 per user per year."

Microsoft added that it will institute a free trial version of the game starting this summer. Students and educators from qualified academic institutions are all invited to participate.

Some tech analysts said that by releasing "MinecraftEdu" on academic institutions, Microsoft is also opening a door in order to promote some of its productivity products, like Microsoft Office and Skype, both of which have significant appeal to students and educators.

For some tech analysts, Microsoft is simply expanding its platform in order to cover other areas of concerns, this time in education.